Pruning shears



A. BRATSCHIE.

PRUNINAG SHEARS.

APPLlcMmN min rea. 26. ma.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTUR. mLB Bratschie "T'FNYT A. BHATSCHIE.

PRUNING SHEARS.

MPucmou man fzs.2.1919.

Patented ug. 1

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NVENTOR. rmel Brai'schie WITNESS: Sols.

AMIEL BRATSUHIE, OF NEW GASTLE,

PRUNING sHEa'ns.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented ug. .157, 1922.

Application led February 26, 1919. Serial No. 279,261.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that L A Miur. Bnfrrsonin, a citizen o1? the United States. residing at New Castle, in the county of Lawrence and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PruningV Shears. of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in pruning shears, and is especially adapted for distant Work.

rlhe principle object of my invention is to provide a pruning shears in which the cutting blades and associated parts are in closed or folded position preparatory to the cutting or trimming operation.y whereby the device may be much more readily and conveniently used by the operator Jfor the reason that there are no spreading blades or other protruding parts to become caught in the limbs or other parts of the tree.

A further object of my invention is to provide a pruning shears having an improved cutting action, whereby the trimming oper ation is not only expedited but the effort required on the part of the o erator in cutting off a limb or other part o the tree reduced to the minimum.

With the foregoing and other objects in view that will appear as the nature oi the invention is better understood. the same consists in the novel ieatnres ofv construction. combination and arrangement of parts illustrated in the drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:d

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of pruu ing shears constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention, showing the folded position of the cutting blades and associated parts preparatory to the cutting operation.

Fig. 2 is a similar view.y showing the position of the parts at the completion ot the cutting operation.

Fig. 3 an edge view of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the relatively stationary cutting member. and

Fig. 5 is a similar view o'l the oscillating cutting blade.

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation illustrating pruning shears constructed in arcordance With another embodiment of my invention.

Referring to the drawings 'ior a more particular description oi the invention and in which drawings like parts are` designated by like characters throughout the several views. the' device comprises a relatively long cylinfy drical pole orha'ndlel, preferably of Wood. provided at'its outer'end Iwith the flat 'metal shank Q. i tree end of the Vshank 2, isan oscillating cut tin g blade 4, i preferably formed with f a straight inner edge 5 and an outwardly curved beveled outer cutting edge 6, The opposite or outer end of the oscillating blade Pivoteii at oiie end to the outer or 4 is pivoted, as at 7, to the corresponding ,end of the shank 8V of the relatively stationary cutting member "9, the outerv end Vot ivhich terminates somewhat beyond but adl)acent'to the outer end of the blade! 4, in an inwardly extending laterally disposed hook t0. preferably formed with an inner'beveled edge 11, which cooperates withtheoscillating cutting blade 4 in thefcuttingor trimming process.

Phe inner end 'of the shank 8 of member 9 is operatively V'connected Ywith the shank 2 oi the pole or handle Y1 bythe flat lilikl 12, which is disposed at an upward inclination, when the parts vare in folded position, as illustrated in Fig'.`1 'of thec'lravvingslL The .extreme inner 'end` o'thshanirYV 8i' of! member 9 i 'is connected. as at li'bygthe longitudinal rod or link 14 With theV operating lever'ti;` pivoted at its inner end, Vasat 16, Withth'e inner end of the pole or handle 1. The outer end otoperatinglever 15 is provided with a suitable handle 17, as show n.

To practice,` the liock`10`of the" relatively stationary cutting member 9z ishooked over the i; V"ftree to be severed. witht parte" incloselyj folded almejas sape lla Fig.'`1..`f`frasriaathe amer ene 0f. @arer hasta i Seaway with, one hand, the operator nllsydown the operating lever livvithi'theot erhand from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. Z of the drawings. This operation closes the cutting blades, as shown in Fig. and also causes the Shanks 2 and 8 to assume the laterally spaced position indicated in said ligure.

To prevent any undue strain or stress on the pole or handle 1, the same may be provided at suitable intervals along its length, with the guides 18 for the connecting rod 14.

1t will be observed that the oscillating action or movement of the blade 4, in coniiuuction with the cutting edge 11 of member 9, affords a shearing action in severing or cutting olii' the limb, branch or other part of the tree, whereby this operation is facilitated and may be" performed with greater ease by the operator. Although preferably, the inner edge 1l of the hook l0 is not necessarily beveled, but may be a flat edge if desired.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings, lhave shown a form of pruning shears especially adapted for close work. In this form,the handle l is made considerably shorter than the pole or handle 1, while ythe handle 19 is normali disposed on anI outward inclination Wit handle l anditsushank 2O provided with a right-angularly disposeduouter end portion 21 pivotedtothe shank 2. The inner end oi"` l,the cutting member 9 is pivotally c0nnetted, as at 22, to lthe shank of the handle 19 and the shank 2 of handle l and the cutting `member `9 are disposed in laterally spaced i'elationmpreparatory to the cutting or trimming operation, as distinguished from the formzo! pruning shears used for distant work, in` which` the cutting blades and associated parts are in closely folded position at this state of the cutting operatlon. ,i i y., ,1 il Y j thejoregoing description taken in connection lwith the drawings, it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of `my invention Willbe readily understoodmvvithout requiring a more extended explain-tipe ,i i i Y Yario'us changes in the form, proportions and minor details ef construction may be resorted tor without departing :fromthe princi or sacrificing any of the advanta es oY 4this invention as defined in the appen ed claims.. y Y

Y,Having described'my invention, What I claimas new and esire to secure by Letters Patent, is: A i

1. ,A pruning shears comprising a pole or h ndle, a shank at the outer end of the handile, an oscillatingzutting blade, pivoted at oneend tothe shank, a relatively stationary cutting member provided lat its outer end writ 1 ,ann inwardly and laterally extending hoo, disposed inha, direction toward the shank, a link connecting the inner end of of the shank the relatively stationary cutting member with the shank of the handle, an operating lever, pivoted to the inner end of the handle and a c'iinecting rod between the last mentioned cutting member and said o eratin lever, the outer end of the oscillati blei member com prising a shank arranged to oneV side of the supporting member. the outer end of the shank bein provided With an` inwardly and lateraly extending hook disposed in a direction toward the shank, the cutting blade being pivotally engaged with the shank at a point in close proximity `to the hook, the cutting edge of the blade being located `between the pivot points of the blade, a link pivotally connecting the supporting member and the inner end portion of the shank. and means for imparting end- Wise movement to the shank. Y

3. A pruning shears comprising an elongated member, a cutting blade pivoted ,to one end portion of said membelgva cutting member comprising a shank arranged to one side of the supporting membenthe outer end being provided With an inwardly and laterally extending hook disposed in a direction toward the shank, the cutting blade being pivotally engaged with the shank at a point in close proximityvto the hook, the cuttinov edge of the blade being located between tie pivot points of the blade, a link pivotally connecting the porting member and the inner end portion of the shank, and means for imparting V endu'ise movement to the shank, 'the cutting blade and the linkbeing substantiallyrrin parallelism.

In testimony whereof I aiiix myzsi z ature.

AMIEL BRATSClI. 

